LAS CRUCES - A study released Thursday points to hundreds of known prehistoric and historic sites and the likelihood of thousands more sites yet to be discovered in the Desert Peaks Complex of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.

The Desert Peaks encompass the Doña Ana Mountains, the Robledo Mountains, the Portrillo Mountains and the Sierra de las Uvas.

“The Desert Peaks Complex’s known sites are incredibly rich and diverse, including ancient hunting and gathering villages dating back several millennia, through Apache Conflict sites, right up to aerial bombing practice targets used in World War II," said Archaeologist Myles R. Miller, chief researcher and author of the study. "These are cultural resources that record our history as a state, as a country, and as a people. And we’ve only just scratched the surface in terms of the number of sites that have been discovered, yet alone given a proper archaeological investigation.”

Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks said the archaeology report was delivered to the Department of the Interior during the public comment period that closed on July 10. The Friends group said the report helps bolster the argument for not reducing the size of the monument, which is nearly 500,000 acres.

Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument(Photo: BLM)

Rep. Steve Pearce, who represents the congressional district that contains the monument, has called to reduce the size of the monument by 88 percent, including removing the Desert Peaks Complex. Pearce maintains the monument designation covering the Organ Mountains would be sufficient for stimulating economic activity around the monument.

The New Mexico Cattlegrowers Association has also raised concern about the impact of the designation on the agricultural industry.

Support for not changing Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument has been widespread, however, including from the vast majority of Doña Ana County residents, nearly all of New Mexico’s Congressional delegation, the Doña Ana County commission, and the city and town councils of Las Cruces, Mesilla, and Anthony.

Lawrence Loendorf, archaeologist, renowned rock art expert, and another author of the recently released report, is also in support of federal protections on Desert Peaks land.

“We have already witnessed damage to several rock sites, irreplaceable records of our history and past beliefs, because sufficient protections didn’t yet exist," Loendorf said. "This is precisely the purpose of the Antiquities Act — to preserve these sites for future generations. Removing the national monument designation would present a very real danger to these sites, many of which haven’t even been discovered yet.”